HOW LANDFILLS CAN INCREASE SAFETY AND PRODUCTIVITY THROUGH STRATEGIC EQUIPMENT SELECTION

Stability is one of the key safety and productivity challenges waste operations must address day in and day out.

- JOSH SWANK

Landfills have few hard surfaces or established roads, and none in active dumping areas, leaving drivers to navigate a constantly changing landscape of soft footing. Even seasoned operators can't anticipate when soft, uneven refuse mounds will sink or give way. So when thousands of tons of refuse come in for processing each day, landfills need equipment that allows them to work safely, quickly and focus on the job rather than the risk of a rollover.

Common landfill equipment, such as dump trucks and water tanks, undergo a lot of use and play a large part in the safety and efficiency of operations. Here are what features to consider when upgrading this equipment for increased stability, safety and efficiency across multiple landfill tasks.

CUSTOMIZE FOR STABILITY

Traditional end-dump trucks are one the main pieces of equipment used to navigate the uneven terrain of landfills, but they are also one of the most unstable. Due to the high center of gravity as the truck bed raises and the soft footing of the landfill, traditional end-dump trucks run a high risk of tipping and rolling - risking crewmember safety. On top of the potential injuries and workers' compensation claims, there's damage to the truck and cost of repairs to consider when rollovers occur. Such accidents can cost more than $250,000 and be a major loss for companies, especially with insurance processing and payment delays.